Twist Of Fate
by Buffy Sparrow
Summary: Jareth/OC fic. When Jareth falls in love with a woman after invading her dreams, he becomes bound and determind to bring her to the Underworld, but Fate has other plans... ON HIATUS - POSSIBLY ABANDONED
1. Dreaming Of Flowers

A Twist of Fate

By: xBuffyxSparrowx

Rating: PG-13

Paring: You/Jareth

POV: 3rd in the first chapter and then 1st through the rest.

Chapters: In Progress…

Category: Romance, Fantasy, General

Disclaimer: I do not own anything associated with The Labyrinth, save for this piece of scribble that I dare to call a story.

Summary: When Jareth falls in love with a woman after invading her dreams, he's bound and determined to bring her to the Underground. But Fate has other plans for them….

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Chapter 1 – Dreaming of Flowers

A king sits sprawled across his throne, staring into a crystal orb as it shows him the dreams of those in the Above. One in particular catches his eye, bringing a smirk to his lips. Amongst a field of flowers, placed ever so next to a cottage atop a hill, stands a woman. Her feet being bathed by a stream of clear blue water and soaking the hem of her flowing, white gown that hugs every curve of her body and yet leaves nothing revealed. The long length of her raven hair blows slightly in a non existent wind as her eyes of emerald scan the horizon in waiting. She's searching for something, or someone, in patience that this king himself has never been able to master. His smile widens as a thought crosses his mind and the scene before him changes. The river turns to blood, the flowers whither before turning to dust and the once serene woman is now looking baffled by the transformation. Still, there is no fear in her eyes as he had hoped there would be.

Suddenly his creation disappears and he finds this mysterious girl running down a familiar hall, her still bare feet soundless against the granite floor. A large pair of doors stands in the way of her mad dash, but she pays them no mind. Shoving them aside, he discovers her to be standing inside his throne room and an image of himself exactly as he is. In surprise, he glances around to find the real throne room completely empty save for himself and is quick to give his attention back to the crystal in his hand. Her green eyes bear into him as she stares, taking in his form, and her chest heaves beneath her blood soaked gown from her run.

"Who are you?" She asks.

Her voice is soft and sweet, like a breeze blowing delicately over a flower's bright petals, and the innocence of it stirs something inside of him. For the longest time, he does not answer as he is too caught up in this strange emotion that seems to be crushing his lungs.

"I am Jareth, King of the Goblins, ruler of the Labyrinth and keeper of dreams," he finally manages to answer, using his full title.

"Keeper of dreams, your Majesty? Is this why you saw it fit to ruin mine? To twist it's sweetness into something vile and dark?"

This series of questions unsettles him even more, for they hold no anger, although the evidence of her frustration shines brightly through those orbs of jade to a point where lightning seems to flash within their depths. Before he has the opportunity to reply, the crystal shatters and the images become lost to him.

In the Above world, the woman wakes with a scream that echoes off the darkly painted walls of her bedroom. She scans the room anxiously in search of this king, finding the place empty. As she shakes her head, she glances at the clock beside her bed with a groan that shows her disgust at the early hour and then glares at the small book in front of it. The well read pages of The Labyrinth, her favorite story since childhood, stare back at her through its scuffed red cover.

"Evey, your mind hath run away with you again," she chides herself, making a silent vow to never read before going to sleep again before crawling back under the covers to enjoy a few more hours of dreamless sleep.


	2. A Discovery

Chapter 2 – A Discovery

I hate myself and what I've become. Obsessed. Yes, that word describes it perfectly. I am obsessed with a man that I'm almost certain is nothing more than a character inside a novel and yet has haunted my dreams for near three weeks now. One may ask how that could be possible and there is no answer, for I am not even sure myself. All I know is that every night I go to sleep only to find him there and I wake up every morning with a new determination to research everything that could possibly lead me to him. Folklore, mythology and anything like it becomes my life while the people and subjects I once loved become second priority. I dare to even say that I love every moment spent with my Goblin king, although he certainly isn't mine to claim.

What kind of life can one possibly lead when their only happiness comes from dreaming? One of little fulfillment, to be sure, and yet there is hope. Hope is why I'm sitting here amongst the bustling streets and houses larger than I've ever seen, waiting for a certain piece of my puzzle. A woman, Sarah as she calls herself, contacted me earlier this day to tell me a story that left me confused, breathless and overjoyed. She was my break through and now my only route to the world beyond here that I seem to visit each night. So I came to this park, a place of her choosing, because it is said that this is where she first encountered my king. I pray she does not disappoint me.

"Are you Evey?" A voice asks from behind me.

I spin around on my park bench to face her, finding her to be falling short of my expectations. She's obviously older than my 20 years by at least a decade or so and her long brown hair hides her mouse like features. Small and meek, she doesn't strike me as the kind of person my king would venture after, although I'm sure she was head strong and beautiful in her teenage years.

"If I am then that would make you Sarah," I answer, silently fearful of what may be told to me.

With a nod of her head, she moves to take a seat beside me before staring blankly out onto the small creek just a few feet away. When her gaze falls on a memorial of sorts, a large pointed pillar of faded marble, a shiver seems to pass through her and it's with that I dare voice my questions.

"What do you know of Jareth?"

My voice echoes barely above a whisper, as if saying his name aloud makes my insanity all the more real and this does not go unnoticed by my companion. Brown eyes bare deep into my soul seemingly to search out something inside me before she opens her mouth to speak.

"It's been a long time since I've heard that name. I can only assume that you came here today because you want to know everything about my….experience. Before I tell you, I need you to understand that I've never spoken of this to anyone until now and if what you say is true, I don't want him to know we met."

Immediately alarms signal inside my head, warning me that something isn't quite right. As difficult as it is to ignore them, that alone isn't enough to keep the look of shock and confusion from my face. None the less I motion for her to continue and sit in silence as her tale is laid out before me. Every detail she describes is exactly how I've seen them, right down to the mossy eyes that litter the labyrinth which fascinated me on the many walks with my king. Her account ends sadly, her denial shaking me to the core as if I myself had been refused. She continues to look upon me long after silence had taken over us as she waits for my response, but words seem insignificant at this point.

"I believe you**,**" I say after a moment. "And you cannot possibly fathom how much I appreciate you telling me all of this. It can't be easy for you to think back on the wrong done to you, even if you wished for it in a moment of weakness. If it isn't too much to ask, could you possibly tell me if you know any way of calling him?"

Her eyebrows rise in surprise before her features take on the appearance of a mother about to scold her child. I can only assume she is unhappy with my question.

"You don't want to do that, Evey. The world he lives in isn't ours to venture into. The labyrinth is…" A shiver passes through her**.** "Just promise me you will not try to call to him or find a way into the Underground."

"I can't make that kind of promise."

"Then you're already lost to him. You've already relinquished your control."

"The only thing I've given up is obviously my sanity for ever agreeing to meet you**,**" I yell, angered now that she dare try to keep me from my king. "I thank you again for telling me your story but telling me what to do is something you have no place in doing. You know what? I wish Jareth could be here to see…"

My sentence comes to an end when a look of pure horror crosses her face as she stares at something behind me.

"Be careful what you wish for**,**" a voice, so familiar to my heart, calls out quietly.


	3. Fancy Meeting You Here

Chapter 3 – Fancy Meeting You Here

Everything goes eerily silent as I follow Sarah's gaze until my eyes land on the one person I never expected to actually see with waking vision. He stands tall and arrogant in his royal attire of the softest grey and blue to go with his mismatched eyes. His short cape flutters in the breeze, along with that beautiful blonde hair, although everything from his boots to his open-chest shirt sits perfectly in place.

"Jareth**,**" Sarah whispers, fear echoing through her quiet word.

"I really am going insane**,**" I mutter in response, bringing one hand up to rest upon my brow.

"Ah to be insane… wouldn't that just make everything so much simpler?" He asks, obviously mocking me.

"Do not be so derisive with me, Your Highness**,**" I warn, standing from the bench to approach him**.** "I may put up with it in my dreams, but you are in my world now. There will be no hesitation the next time my palm has the desire to slap that arrogant smirk off your face."

I can hear Sarah gasp behind me , as though she herself had never stood up against my king and she suddenly fears that I will be punished for my boldness. Because of my short temper and slowly diminishing patience, I choose to ignore her for the time to focus on Jareth. His grin seems less sarcastic now and more… Well in all honesty I am not sure what the expression upon his face is supposed to be saying. He almost seems cautious and deeply thoughtful ; as though he has a card in his hand that he's not sure he wants to play.

"My, my**,**" he whispers as he brushes a strand of my black hair behind my ear, "such harsh words coming from someone who called me here."

"You know, as well as I, that it was not my intention**,**" I retort, my voice softer now that I've begun to lose my sense of reality. "Before today I believed you to be nothing more than some fantasy I'd dreamed up to make sleep a little more interesting. You were just a companion that made me laugh when my day had been horrible. Someone who made living bearable."

Sarah makes a choking sound from her place still sitting upon the bench, pulling me back into the moment instead of allowing me to continue believing I was once again in my dreams. Jareth's smile turns into more of a grimace as his mismatched eyes gaze upon her, a look I can only assume was brought on by the memory of her rejection. My heart goes out to him as I turn to face the source of my now dissipated anger. My words must have been a major shock to her system, for she seems stuck in a gaping mouthed expression and my eyes roll in unspoken disdain.

"How rare of you to be without words, Sarah," mocks my goblin king. "Not even a 'hello' after all these years?"

He shakes his head at her, tisking quietly, and then turns his attention back to me. A hand rests gently on my shoulder, drawing my gaze for a moment until I turn away to keep myself from getting lost in those mismatched eyes.

"You shouldn't be here," Sarah whispers, finally finding her voice.

"I see no reason why not. After all, I was summoned," he replies.

"You're assuming things again," I warn. "But perhaps it would be best for you to go now. All of my questions have been answered and the only thing left to do now is return home, hopefully before darkness falls."

"Yes**,** I suppose I should return to the Underground. I'm a very busy man, after all. Dreams to invade, goblins to kick…"

I laugh subtly, remembering one particular night when I'd happened upon Jareth sitting in his throne room in quite a fury and he relieved his stress by kicking the goblins across the room. It was an entertaining sight, to say the least, although I did chide him later for abusing his subjects. My memory is interrupted when the warmth of Jareth's hand leaves my shoulder as he steps away from me. My brows furrow together in confusion when the distance brings a strange sense of loss to my belly but the half-smile upon his face squashes the feeling. I watch in awe as his form changes into that of a great, white barn owl before he soars away to the quickly darkening sky. As I make my way out of the park to where I'd left my car, leaving Sarah still perched upon the bench, I reflect on the short encounter with my king and begin looking forward to dreaming.


	4. Musings Of Love

Chapter 4 – Musings of Love

It has been eight days since I met with Sarah and seven very long nights since my king has come to me in my sleep. Something inside me longs for him with an intensity that seems to double with every new sunrise, scaring me just enough that I dare not speak my desire to see him out loud. Still I've come to realize that my missing him brings worse feelings than were present before our meeting in the park. It's as though something vital to my being, an arm or a leg perhaps, has suddenly vanished and left me stumbling through life incomplete. This can only mean one thing and it's a startling twist of fate.

I've fallen in love.

I've seen love before, in my friends and others that I hold dear**,** and it's horrible. It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens your heart and it means someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses. You build up this whole armor, for years, so nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person no different from any other stupid person wanders into your stupid life…. You give them a piece of you. They don't ask for it. They do something dumb one day like kiss you, or smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so a simple phrase like 'maybe we should just be friends' or 'I can't do this anymore' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination; not just in the mind, it's a soul-hurt, a body-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain.

Love has made empires crumble and women murder in jealous insanity. What, then, will become of me? Certainly bottling such a strong and over powering emotion would only end in tragedy… but to tell him. That couldn't possibly bode well for either party, especially me to be sure. Those are my options and both of them, if I dare to be frank, suck. I hate love.

Restless in my thoughts, I roll onto my side before staring into the darkness of my room. A book bound in red leather mocks me from its place on my nightstand, reminding me of what has become lost to me somehow. I long to toss the retched thing across the room in frustration but instead only clutch the sheet closer to my naked body, content to glare at the book while silently hoping my king will come to me this night.

It takes a while for my mind to comprehend the change between wakefulness and sleep, but once it does I am elated to find myself in one of the Labyrinth's many courtyards. My pleasure nearly triples when I notice my king resting upon a bench before me, although I try my best to hide these emotions behind a mask of frustration and disappointment. His eyebrow arches when he sees the annoyance written across my face and I am quick to make my previous unhappiness known.

"Pity. And here I thought I'd never have to see you again," I remark dryly.

"Would you like me to wake you back up? I'm sure your life aboveground has been… interesting this past week," he counters, obviously enjoying my irritation.

"Are you going to tell me where you've been or not?"

Even to my own ears I sound like a jealous lover and this new tone of voice embarrasses me enough that I can actually feel a blush rising across my cheeks, which makes me pray he only believes the new coloration to be my anger. He seems to not even notice, however, since he only motions for me to sit beside him. As I situate myself upon the bench, I notice his choice for my attire tonight which consists of a deep green, medieval style gown.

"To match your eyes," he explains briefly, noticing my gaze.

"Do not change the subject, Your Highness. I still wish to know what has kept you from visiting these past few nights."

"Unfinished business of the most important variety."

"How vague," I remark in sarcastic interest.

"I was biding my time with Sarah. She had a few matters that needed to be resolved and continuously called upon me to discuss them."

Curses in every language I know run through my head and I swear if my dress wasn't already green it would've changed colors. A possessiveness I never knew to be inside me makes itself known in a tidal wave of emotion that brings with it the distinct and primitive desire to beat Sarah into an unrecognizable mass of bloody flesh. I almost consider taking him up on his offer to wake me so that maybe I could fulfill my desire, but I quickly squash these new feelings until they're nothing more than an underlying pain in my stomach. Instead, I force myself to look surprised and extremely intrigued.

"And what did my favorite little brat have to say?"

"Nothing you could possibly be interested in, Evey."

"Try me," I challenge.

"I think not. Let us talk of other things… like how your week has been, for example."

Genuine frustration fills me to a point where I can't stop my arms from crossing across my chest in reaction to the strong emotion. A groan of exasperation soon follows the movement, which invokes a chuckle from my companion. I glare in his direction out of the corner of my eye before allowing myself the pleasure of smacking him hard in the chest with the back of my hand.

"Oh come now, Evey. Surely there's no need to pout. Isn't there anything you've wished to tell me these last few days?"

"As a matter of fact, something has come to mind. Go to hell, Your Highness."

"Now if I didn't know you better, I would think you disapprove of my seeing Sarah. Maybe even a little jealous?"

"Then I am quick to remind you that, in fact, you hardly know me at all!"

"I believe I know you better than you think. Be honest with me and explain this frame of mind I find you in."

"If you understand me so well then you explain it."

"You missed me."

The arrogant, simple declaration only further fuels my exasperation and in a dramatic gesture, I quickly stand before taking a few determined steps.

"What exactly do you wish for me to say, Your Majesty?" I demand as I turn to face him once more. "That every morning I wish it were night again, for it's only at night and in the depth of my dreams that I can feel you and you belong to me? That I've been afraid to sleep because I do not want to wake to a morning of disappointment? Or do you wish to hear that I do, indeed, despise your Sarah for no reason of my own but simply because I lived through the pain her rejection caused you and continue to do so every time I so much as glance at that damned fairy tale you originate from?"

"Is that how you truly feel, Evey?" He asks quietly.

I sit silent for a moment, not because I do not know the answer but simply because I cannot remember what it is I said to begin with. Damn my mouth for spewing out thoughts faster than my mind can register them.

"Yes, but at the very same time… no," I finally, albeit vaguely, explain.

He nods, as if completely understanding what I was trying to say and the hint of mischief in his eyes tells me everything I need to know. He knows now that he was right in his assumption that I missed him, not that I ever actually denied the fact, and appears to be debating how best to use it for his own gain. A sigh of relief nearly escapes when I feel the pull of wakefulness and quickly decide to change the subject.

"Upon our next meeting, you should tell me about your meetings with Sarah."

"Perhaps."

"Fine, play the stubborn king a little while longer. Just remember that I hold the ace," I tell him with a smile.

"And which ace would that be?"

I allow myself one last wicked smile and a wave as my mind pushes away the hazy veil of sleep. Awaking in my bed, I feel proud of my bluff but am very aware of a certain fact. Upon our next meeting, he's going to demand an explanation as to my little rant and I am going to be royally screwed.


	5. Ace Of Hearts

Chapter 5: Ace of Hearts

Opening my eyes after speaking with Jareth once more makes me feel worse than I had when he was away, if that is even possible. I lied to the Goblin King and, even worse, put myself in a position where I seemed to have take away his power. My mind reels at the memory of Sarah's rejection, his feelings of loss and lack of control. Such an arrogant man, my king, that he always has the need to dominate the situation and when that is stolen from him...

Refusing to think on it any longer, I remove myself from my bed and get ready for the long day ahead of me. An explanation of my 'ace' would have to be figured out at a later time. For now, I am forced to venture into the mundane world of sociology and, after that, the pleasure of hiding away in the campus dark room to develop film for my photography class. Maybe there I could discover some way to remedy the mistake of allowing Jareth to think I held some sort of advantage, although it is no secret that I am the only one of us with the ability to summon the other. An idea strikes me and I can't help but grin at my forming plan.

Maybe today is going to be interesting after all.

Once I am finished bumbling my way through sociology, being to distracted to hear the questions and there for unable to give the correct answers, I finally find myself in the comforting red glow of the dark room and able to go through with the scheme that has kept me preoccupied. Concentrating, I bring the breathtaking image of my king into my mind before taking a deep breath.

"I wish the Goblin King would appear before me, right now," I whisper.

"This is something of dire importance, I hope," Jareth says from behind me.

Peeking over my shoulder, I smirk in triumph and than turn back to begin carefully removing my role of film from it's canister.

"Not at all, Your Highness. I simply wished for the pleasure of your company but you may leave if I've interrupted something of consequence."

"Nothing that can't be dealt with on a later date. Besides, Evey, this gives me the opportunity to discover your 'ace' without waiting for nightfall."

Not even a clairvoyant could have plotted this more perfectly as Jareth quickly falls into my pre-layed trap.

"I would think it would be obvious by now. You are here with me, after all."

Realization brightens the mismatched eyes that I so easily lose myself in and he chuckles quietly. His glove-covered hand runs softly up my bare arm, causing me to shiver at the contact, before he leans in closely to whisper in my ear.

"Summoning me is no advantage, especially since you can not send me away once I've appeared."

"Well than, I suppose you hold all the cards, Your Majesty."

"One would think," he answers cryptically.

For the next hour or so, he watches as I develop my pictures and occasionally questions the images. Besides his inquiries, very little is said between us and yet he never seems to succumb to boredom. He amuses himself by touching me whenever possible, which is not a difficult thing in such a small room, and distracting me to no end. More than once I end up destroying a photo by dipping it in the wrong solution or not timing the soaking of the paper, causing me to feel frustrated. In an effort to keep him from disturbing me any longer, I try to occupy him with questions.

"You implied during our last meeting that you would, perhaps, share with me what Sarah wanted of you," I mention.

"So I did. Do you truly wish to know?" At my nod, he continues. "Very well. She simply wanted to know what devious thoughts had me coming to you each night."

"And what did you tell her?"

"That it was my intention to steal you away and transform you into a goblin," he answers, as though it was obvious.

"Of course, why didn't I see it before?" I reply sarcastically.

As he'd done many times before, he brushes my hair away from my face and watches me with an unknown emotion shining through his grey-blue eyes.

"Do you honestly believe it is my desire to change you?"

"You have the ability," I whisper. "It scares me to think I trust you that much but, no, I do not think you would."

I am not prepared for his reaction to my words but when his soft lips touched mine, all thoughts cease. There is a desperation behind his touch, masked by his gentleness, and it almost appears as though his kiss expresses a gratitude he can not put into words. Clinging to the lapels of his ruffled shirt, I lose myself in his caress. My legs become shaky as the warmth from his generous lips spreading to pool at my very core and my mind becomes hazy. When he finally pulls away, I'm surprised at the cry of protest that is torn from my throat and makes him smile. His fingers brush my cheek lightly, the fabric of his gloves feeling like cool satin against my skin. I turn my face into his touch, unwilling to break our contact but he sighs before moving away.

"I should leave you to your work," he says, his voice husky.

"Will I see you tonight?"

"You will know by morning," he replies with an arrogant smirk.

As he disappears in a flash of glitter, I find myself unbothered by his pomposity for the first time and, instead, already missing him terribly. For some reason the kiss changed something that I can not put my finger on, probably because my mind has yet to clear from it's previously muddled state. I gather my photos, humming a wordless song as I wander home and settle onto my bed to glance over my work. A single picture of a white barn owl, taken in a wildlife preserve only a few hours away, catches my eye and I smile broadly before pinning it to the wall. Now, as I fall to sleep tonight, I can pretend that my king is watching over me and, should he not appear in my dreams, will still be there to comfort me come the early light of day.

A/N: This story is kind of on Hiatus. I'm working on it as much as possible, but unfortunatly I'm busy with other stuff at the moment. It may be a little while before I update again but I promise you I WILL UPDATE.


	6. Wishes of Hatred

Chapter 6 - Wishes of Hatred

A loud knocking on my door wakes me from the midst of a conversation with my king, immediately rousing feelings of rage inside me and I toss the wooden barricade open with enough force for it to slam against the wall. The sight of Sarah standing before me only adds to my anger, as I am sure she would not have tracked me down for a civil conversation, and the look in her eyes only confirms my suspicion.

"Can I help you?" I ask as calmly as I can manage.

"Jareth will not answer my calls," she explains.

"That is because he is to busy answering mine. I will admit to being surprised he has not shown himself here, since I was so suddenly awakened and pulled away from him."

"I wonder, what do you know about what happens when a child is wished away to him?"

"The one that made the wish has thirteen hours to complete the labyrinth or the child is turned into a goblin. I've read the story, same as you."

"But if no one is willing to run the labyrinth?" she pauses, waiting for me to answer. "You don't know? The child is immediately changed."

"Wonderful. What's your point?"

Her smile is full of malice, bringing a shiver of fear up my spine.

"I wish the goblins would come and take you away, right now," she whispers.

Immediately I am sent spiraling down into the darkness. I knew the words were coming before they even passed her lips, just as I also knew she would never run the labyrinth. I land with a thud on a hard, dirty stone floor but I don't need to look around to tell me where I am. The familiar sounds of goblin laughter fills my ears and, as happy as I should be about being back here, I feel like crying. I have been damned to an eternity of being so near my king, yet unable to be with him in any way. How cruel is the hatred of others that they must seek to destroy the happiness of another.

Tears spill down my face as I lift myself off the floor, moving only so far as to sit in the hole situated in front of the throne that had been filled with ratty blankets and pillows for the children. A goblin I recognize ventures over to me and offers a dirty cup of wine, that I immediately gulp down. Jareth's subjects are not used to seeing me without their king and seem unsure of how to react around me now. Maybe they realize I am no longer a guest but a captive, sent here against my will like so many others. Maybe they simply came to care for me in their own way and don't wish to upset me further. My fate will be decided as soon as Jareth returns and I smile a little at the thought of seeing him again.

"Being a goblin wouldn't be so bad, I guess," I tell Greeko, the short, wart covered goblin that brought me the wine. "At least you guys seem to have a lot of fun. Plus, I think I'd make a cute goblin."

"There's no such thing," Jareth tells me, looking angrier than I've ever seen him.

I hand my cup to Greeko before moving to stand before my king, slowly trying to smooth away the frown lines on his forehead with the tips of my fingers. His face relaxes under my touch and his eyes slowly drift close, a frustrated sigh escaping him.

"She will not run the labyrinth for you," he whispers.

"Don't sound so surprised. I knew she'd refuse."

I walk over at sit in his throne, something that I would have never been brave enough to do before, and flash him a false smile.

"I guess it's time to see if cute goblins exist. It's now or never, Your Majesty," I tell him, my smile wavering.

Closing my eyes, I wait for any telling signs of a transformation and the anticipation is killing me. When his laughter fills my ears, sending shivers down my spine, I risk a glance at my king with every expectation of finding him suddenly several feet taller than myself. Instead I seem to be in the exact condition I had been moments before and my expression quickly becomes one of frustration.

"I don't see how this situation is _funny_, Your Highness," I nearly growl.

"A very unfortunate failure on your part, although it isn't the situation but yourself that is so extremely amusing," he teases as he moves to place his hands on either arm of the throne, essentially trapping me. "What happened to the trust you spoke so easily of today?"

And just like that, I become ashamed of myself.

"Forgive me," I whisper.

"No, it is I who must ask your forgiveness. While I can bend the rules about turning you into a goblin, I have no say in your banishment here. You will never be able to return to the Aboveground."

I am forever banished to the Underground, the realm in which my beloved king rules. As the thought sinks in, I have to do my very best not to smile or express my happiness in any other manner. Sarah has just given me everything I could ever ask for and she doesn't even realize it.

"I think I shall survive, My Lord. Unfortunately, I'm not so sure the same can be said of you."

"Indeed?"

"Mhmm. It is my prediction that your Sarah will be absolutely murderous if she ever discovers that I am still human. You know what they say about us women and our fury."

"Then, perhaps I should name you as my defender. Watching the two of you go at it would be most entertaining," he suggests, his eyes gleaming.

"If this entertainment somehow involves oil and bikinis, you can count me out of it. Besides, I've never been one for violence."

"Such a pity. Since you're of so little use to me, shall I show you where you'll be staying?"


End file.
